～以来

Japanese Grammar Advanced Japanese ★★★★ 4/5 neutral いらいirai
Reading いらい
Romaji irai
Formation Noun / Verb た-form + 以来 + Ongoing state
Kanji breakdown 以 = from, by means of; 来 = come

Meaning

An adverb meaning 'since' or 'ever since,' marking the starting point of a continuing state or habit. It indicates that something has been the case from a particular time up to the present.

以来 neutrally establishes a temporal starting point, stating that from that moment onward a certain condition has persisted. Unlike っきり, which implies disappointment or an unfulfilled expectation, 以来 is objective and can be used for both positive and negative ongoing states. It commonly appears after nouns (去年以来), verb た-forms (会った以来), or temporal expressions (あれ以来). It is used across all registers, from casual speech to formal writing. Note that 以来 implies the situation continues into the present; it is unnatural to use it for something that has already ended.

Examples

  1. 大学卒業以来、故郷に帰っていない。 I haven't been back to my hometown since graduating from university.
  2. あの事故以来、彼は車の運転を避けるようになった。 Ever since that accident, he has avoided driving.
  3. 日本に来て以来、毎朝味噌汁を飲む習慣がついた。 Since coming to Japan, I've developed the habit of drinking miso soup every morning.

Usage Guide

Context: spoken, written, everyday

Tone: descriptive

Do Say

  • 転職以来、毎日が充実している。
  • 十年前にこの街に引っ越して以来、ずっとここに住んでいる。
  • あの日以来、二人の関係は変わってしまった。

Don't Say

  • 昨日以来、映画を観た。(Using 以来 for a completed one-time action — 以来 requires an ongoing or continuing state) → 昨日以来、ずっと映画のことを考えている。
  • 来月以来、勉強を始める。(Using 以来 with a future starting point — it must refer to a past event leading to the present) → 来月から勉強を始める。

Origin & History

以来 is a Sino-Japanese compound from 以 (from, by means of) and 来 (come). It literally means 'from [that point] coming [forward]' and has been used in Japanese since the adoption of Chinese literary conventions.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal

Related Phrases

～ついでに A phrase meaning 'while you're at it' or 'taking the opportunity to,' expressing that someone performs a secondary action alongside a primary one because the circumstances make it convenient. The secondary action is not the main purpose but is done opportunistically. ～（っ）きり A conjunction meaning 'since' or 'ever since,' indicating that after a certain event occurred, the expected continuation or return never happened. It implies that a state has remained unchanged since that point. ～かと思うと A phrase meaning 'just when I thought' or 'no sooner than,' indicating that immediately after one event or state is noticed, a contrasting or surprising second event follows. It expresses the speaker's astonishment at a rapid change. ～ついては A sentence-initial conjunction meaning 'accordingly,' 'in connection with this,' or 'with regard to the above,' used to introduce a request, proposal, or explanation that follows logically from what was just mentioned. ～折（に） A noun meaning 'on the occasion of' or 'when the opportunity arises,' used to refer to special, uncommon, or primarily positive occasions when something is done. It implies that the timing is favourable or that the opportunity should not be missed. ～末（に） A noun meaning 'after' or 'at the end of,' indicating the outcome that follows a period of prolonged effort, deliberation, or struggle. It emphasises that the result came only after considerable time or difficulty. 一旦・いったん An adverb meaning 'once' or 'once something happens,' indicating that after a condition is established, it is difficult to reverse or has significant consequences. It can also mean 'for the time being' or 'temporarily.' ～が早いか A conjunction meaning 'as soon as' or 'the moment that,' emphasising the immediacy with which a second action follows the first. It conveys a sense of surprise or dramatic speed at how quickly the subsequent event occurred.
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